Hermione's Secret
by hero stone
Summary: My first attempt at trying to explain Hermione's Time-Turner. This is when she first gets it from Professor McGonagall and everything gets explained (i hope).


*Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters or locations, really not even the story line, just my original dialogue.  
  
"Potter! Granger! I want to see you both!" Professor McGonagall called. Hermione knew immediately what this was about. She had received a personal letter from Professor McGonagall along with her supply list and Hogsmeade form concerning her jam-packed schedule this year. "Special and secret arrangements have been made in consideration of our brightest and clearly very ambitious student," it had said. She was flattered that they would make certain preparations just for her. She followed Professor McGonagall to her office, all the while wondering what she could possibly have to talk to Harry about that was as important as her "special and secret arrangements."  
  
She and Harry sat down across from Professor McGonagall in her office. Apparently she had learned about Harry's episode with the dementor on the train and was concerned. Madam Pomfrey came in and checked Harry's health. Hermione waited patiently and silently, but couldn't help looking at her watch; 6:15. Why was this taking so long? Soon enough, Harry convinced them that Professor Lupin had taken care of him and Professor McGonagall said,  
  
"Kindly wait outside while I have a quick word with Miss Granger about her course schedule, then we can go down to the feast together."  
  
Professor McGonagall looked kindly at Hermione. Her eyes sparkled with anticipation and Hermione was surprised to see an almost childish look in her face.  
  
"Miss Granger," McGonagall began. "Professor Dumbledore and I were very surprised and pleased when we saw the courses you signed up for next year. No other student has ever been so motivated as to apply for every single class we offer the third years. Normally we would have to turn you down, because the average student would be strained and spread much too thin by the taxing schedule and amount of homework" she paused as Hermione gasped, "but, looking at your exam scores from last term, you are no average student Miss Granger." Hermione smiled appreciatively, but remained silent.  
  
"So, after much debate and planning, we have decided to accept your proposal. We have made special arrangements so that you may take all the classes you wish. I believe you signed up for Arithmancy, Divination, Muggle Studies, Care of Magical Creatures, and Ancient Runes. Along with your normal classes: Transfiguration, Potions, Charms, Defense Against the Dark Arts, History of Magic, and Astronomy I believe that's eleven classes. The only problem we ran into was how to fit eleven classes into one normal school week. At first we thought, it couldn't be done, there's just not enough time in the day, but then we realized this is Hogwarts, anything is possible.  
  
"Professor Dumbledore was kind enough to contact members of the Ministry of Magic to acquire a very useful piece of equipment that will enable you to have all the time in the world." Professor McGonagall reached behind her desk and produced a necklace with a small charm attached to it in the shape of an hourglass. "This, Miss Granger is called a Time-Turner, now I will tell you how it works in a moment, but first I must show you something. Whatever you do you mustn't be alarmed; you mustn't do anything foolish. In fact, it would be best if you handed me your wand for the moment." Hermione was very confused, but she did as she was told. She told herself that she wouldn't get upset no matter what Professor McGonagall had to show her.  
  
"Miss Granger you may come out now."  
  
***  
  
Hermione heard a squeak behind her. She turned and saw a hand protrude from the wardrobe next to the door. She gasped and again turned to face Professor McGonagall with a pleading look on her face,  
  
"What did you mean 'come out'?" she asked. Professor McGonagall gestured for her to turn back around.  
  
"Miss Granger there's something you need to see," she said. Hermione slowly looked back in the direction of the wardrobe. Standing directly in front of her was…herself. A perfect image. This was no mirror or hoax, it was simply another her standing right there.  
  
Hermione stifled a scream and felt her knees going wobbly. She heard her other self say, "Don't worry, Professor McGonagall will explain." The first Hermione helped herself into a chair and the second Hermione sat down beside her.  
  
"Please place this over your neck and give it one turn, you will arrive in the Great Hall, I will be waiting for you. I'm sorry this is so confusing for you dear; you just have to trust me." Hermione did as she was told, because what else, she thought, was there to do. She placed the Time-Turner over her neck and gave it one turn.  
  
Hermione felt like everything around her was dissolving. She felt as if she was flying backwards. The nearest sensation she could relate to it was using Floo powder in reverse. Very suddenly she was no longer moving and everything was very real. She was standing in the middle of the Great Hall and Professor McGonagall was waiting for her.  
  
"What just happened?" Hermione asked with as much control as she could muster.  
  
"If you'll take a look at your watch, I think that will be clear Miss Granger," said Professor McGonagall. Hermione looked down and gasped. Her watch read 5:30!  
  
"I traveled back in time?" she ventured.  
  
"Yes Miss Granger," said McGonagall. "With this Time-Turner you will be able to do hours over again. No that's the wrong way to put it; you will be able to do hours twice. In other words, be two places at the same time. Do you understand?"  
  
"I think so," she started. "At 5:30, I was on the Hogwarts Express."  
  
"It is 5:30 Miss Granger, you are on the Hogwarts Express," McGonagall said softly. "And you're here as well."  
  
"Right. But…but what does this have to do with my class schedule?"  
  
"In the same way you could be say in Arithmancy and in Care of Magical Creatures as well. Let's go back to my office and I'll do my best to explain, dear."  
  
***  
  
"The Time-Turner has been around for many years, Miss Granger. The Ministry always monitors its use under tight scrutiny. We had to do quite a bit of convincing that you would only use it for your studies and I know our trust will not be displaced. Time traveling is one of the most delicate areas of magic. No matter what, you must not change time. If something has occurred by the actions of yourself in real-time, you cannot change it in repeated time. But, if something happens in real-time because of actions you will do in future-time, you better do it, understood?"  
  
"Yes," Hermione nodded.  
  
"Disregard of any of these laws could result in destruction of the Space- Time continuum. You could end up changing anything from the food you will eat at lunch to the path of the universe. Also, you will most certainly end up in Azkaban if any time meddling is discovered. Not that I think there will be any problem.  
  
"Now, here is how the thing works: for every hour you wish to go back, you must give the hourglass one turn. After the hour has been completed you must return promptly on time to the place where you turned. That is of utmost importance. You must at all costs avoid being seen with yourself at any time or putting yourself in a position where the same person will see your two selves at two different places." Hermione's head was spinning trying to take it all in.  
  
"Here is your schedule," she said handing Hermione a sheet of paper. "As you can see you will be taking Divination, Arithmancy, and Muggle Studies all at the same time and Care of Magical Creatures and Ancient Runes at the same time. I arranged it so you can use the wardrobe in my office to turn when it is convenient. Otherwise you must only make sure that no one sees you wherever you choose to turn. Also, under no conditions are you to inform Mr. Potter, Mr. Weasley, or anyone else for that matter about your possession of this item. Now, do you have any questions?" she finished.  
  
Hermione was almost too overwhelmed to think of anything to ask. She glanced at her watch again. "Oh! It's almost 6 o'clock. I arrived…I am arriving at Hogwarts right now," she said.  
  
"Right then, Miss Granger. If you will just step in the wardrobe you will be arriving soon. Remember if you did something in future-time affecting yourself in real-time you had better do it in repeated time." Hermione settled herself inside the wardrobe and before she shut the door behind her said, "Thank you ever so much Professor McGonagall, it means so much to me."  
  
"Your welcome, Miss Granger," she smiled.  
  
Hermione shut the door and listened to Professor McGonagall exit the room and return a few minutes later with her and Harry. She heard Madame Pomfrey enter and check on Harry and then heard them both be excused. Hermione stilled her breath as Professor McGonagall began her speech again. She had to remember to open the wardrobe at just the right moment and say just the right thing. Suddenly she heard her cue, "Miss Granger you can come out now."  
  
Hermione emerged from the wardrobe and saw her back turned against her. What did you mean 'come out'?" Hermione remembered herself asking. She saw Professor McGonagall gesture for her to turn back around.  
  
"Miss Granger there's something you need to see," she said again. Hermione prepared herself and said,  
  
"Don't worry, Professor McGonagall will explain," just as she was supposed to. She sighed with relief at the success at her first attempt of keeping with the actions of real-time. She sat down in the seat she was supposed to. She watched herself put on the Time-Turner and give it one turn. Hermione watched herself dissolve in a bright light. She blocked her eyes from the flash with her forearm and when she opened them she was sitting across from Professor McGonagall. She fingered the Time-Turner around her neck and smiled as she tucked it beneath her robes.  
  
"We better get going, Mr. Potter is waiting of course to him it will only have seemed like a few minutes. And I daresay you are hungry, you'll have to get used to waiting longer for meals" said Professor McGonagall as she stood and held the door open for her. She emerged from the office looking very happy. 


End file.
